


Grumpy Derek

by derekstilinski



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, Grumpy Cat - Freeform, Teen Wolf AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-23
Updated: 2012-10-25
Packaged: 2017-11-16 21:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/543771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derekstilinski/pseuds/derekstilinski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek gets turned into a cat, and Stiles is forced to take care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alpha Cat

**Author's Note:**

> That odd AU where Derek gets turned into the grumpy cat... I don't know. Just take it.

Inspired by [this](http://haleoweentown.tumblr.com/post/33983794564).

\--

"Look, I'm trying to work, and Danny's gonna be here soon, helping us out without really knowing. Stop moving around so much, you're not gonna sit back on the desk." Stiles says while looking at his computer screen, almost ready to switch to the books from the old, dusty part of the library.

The cat in his lap squirms again and he sets his hand over his belly to keep him steady. He hisses when claws attach to the back of his hand and he looks down, grimacing at that fluffy face, "Derek, stop it. I'll declaw you and set you in a carrying case for the rest of your time like this, and then some."

The frown that seems permanent on the cat's face seems to deepen and his eyes narrow. For someone who used to be an Alpha werewolf, this really isn't terrifying. The pack doesn't really know how Derek got like this, they're thinking witches with a sense of humor, so that's what Stiles is looking at information on.

Scott brought Derek to him about a week ago, saying that he found him in his house, that it _is_ Derek, he has Derek's scent. And then he pushed him into Stiles' arms saying 'take care of him, you can take care of him'.

So, here they are.

Derek lets go of Stiles' skin and audibly sighs. Stiles looks down at him and nods, rubbing his fingertips against his fur a little, "Thank you."

Derek's ears perk up, tilting just the slightest bit and Stiles looks out his window, "It's just Danny." He goes to get up, ready to set Derek on the desk before he remembers what he said. He swears he can see Derek glaring at him because he's holding him wrong. He rolls his eyes and sets him on the bed, then goes downstairs to let Danny in.

He hears little footsteps following him down and when he opens the door, Derek's right there next to him, making him look like a crazy cat person yet again. It's already happened once with the church people, and then the Ups guy.

Danny smiles at Stiles, then looks down at Derek, giving a bemused expression, "You got a cat?"

Derek digs at Stiles' pant leg, extending his body up and tapping his leg because he wants to be up higher, even if it means having to be held. That's a disadvantage Derek doesn't like, being smaller than everyone.

"Uh, yeah." Stiles picks him up, holding him to his chest, "Isn't he... Adorable?"

"Sure." Danny tells him offhandedly while he walks in, scratching behind one of Derek's ears. Stiles chuckles when Derek looks up at him like he hates his life.

They head upstairs and Derek jumps up on the desk, seemingly going to inspect Danny. Stiles plops down in his seat and gives a disapproving look, Derek coming back with one of his own, basically his ears flattening back and the look of 'fuck you, Stiles'.

"So, why are you researching witches?" Danny sets his bag down on the floor and glances over Stiles' desk, reaching for one of the books. That one is free of dust since Stiles has had it for a month, and it's on werewolves. Derek moves and sits on the book, frowning up at Danny.

Stiles clears his throat and shrugs, "Just because. You know, curiosity and stuff. ADHD with curious thoughts makes for a 'gotta do it or you'll go nuts' kinda thing. So, thanks for this."

"No problem, you're just lucky I'm a little nerdy about this stuff. Tell me what you wanna learn." Danny looks back to Derek, who hasn't moved at inch, and scratches behind his ear again. Derek makes a little noise, shutting his eyes.

"Well, magic. Magic and um... Shape shifters."

Derek's eyes open and he meows at Stiles, tail twitching. Stiles raises his eyebrows and Danny picks Derek up, holding him right, "Shh... What's his name?"

"Derek." Stiles says, crossing his arms over his chest, "The witches?"

"Oh, yeah. Well uh, there are legends that suggest witches were a form of shape shifters, with the right spell or magic... Take the queen from Snow White as an example. She could change herself with a potion, right? Haven't seen that movie in years... Where'd you get Derek? Is he a stray?"

"We found him near the dump," Stiles bluntly gives, looking at Derek soaking up attention from Danny, all smug that a cat wins over a guy more than Stiles does, "So, spells? Curses?"

Danny's clicking his tongue softly at Derek, smiling when he looks up, "What's with the frowny face, Derek? Huh?" He pets over his face and Derek lets him do it.

"Danny." Stiles says, voice rising a bit to get Danny back to talking to him and not fawning over Derek.

"Dude, witches can cast spells and curses, yeah. Thought you knew that."

"What about curses where the person getting cursed turns into... an animal?" Stiles tries to say it nonchalantly, but Danny looks up at him with an odd expression. Stiles is about to open his mouth and flail around while he tries to grasp more words, when Derek wiggles in Danny's arms, crawling up to lay himself against his chest and over part of his shoulder.

Danny chuckles and directs his attention to him again, gently pulling him from his shoulder, "Calm down, Derek. You're okay." He clicks his tongue again, petting him soothingly, "I think he likes me."

"Really? Dude doesn't seem to like anyone, but..." He trails off, watching Derek cuddle up against Danny, rolling around and sniffing at him. Danny chuckles and kisses the top of Derek's head, which surprises the cat into going limp and slumping over. Stiles tries not to laugh, biting his lip hard.

Danny's phone starts to ring and he takes it from his pocket, moving the bemused Derek onto Stiles' lap before he gets up to answer it. When Danny's out in the hallway, Stiles starts to laugh, hand cupped over his mouth.

Derek frowns at him.

"Oh, dude. You're not gonna live that down."

Derek hisses at him.

"Good, kitty."

Derek hisses again and moves to swipe his claws at him, when Danny comes back in. Stiles sets Derek on the desk and looks at Danny expectantly. "I can't stay," He says, grabbing his backpack, "Something came up."

"Something? Or a specific part?" Stiles waggles his eyebrows and Danny rolls his eyes.

"Jealous?" He gives a tight smile before petting Derek one more time before letting himself out.

Stiles mutters about priorities and Alpha cats as he grabs a pen for his notes, then telling Derek to scoot his ass over because he's sitting on his paper.

\--

Stiles rolls his eyes, "I can't really let you have pizza, can I? I mean, you're still a cat. Cats can't have pizza."

Derek stares at him from his place on the kitchen counter, a very 'If I want the pizza I will get the pizza' way and um, no. That's not how this works. Stiles pours him more milk in a small bowl and sets it next to him on the counter.

"And besides, my Dad's gonna be home soon. He can't see you eating pizza." He tells him, checking his watch again. Five minutes until pizza, ten minutes until Dad. Derek gives a low, unhappy growl, but moves toward the bowl, starts to drink. "Ah, there's a good boy."

Derek's tail twitches.

Stiles is right about the timing, though. Five minutes later he's paying the pizza guy, then stopping Derek from trying to get into the box, and Sheriff Stilinski comes home early, hungry and tired. Derek shies away from him when he tries to pet him.

"You picked a weird cat, Stiles." His father says as he sits down. Stiles piles salad onto his plate along with his two slices.

"Yeah, well." He shrugs, "He's just different."

Derek jumps down from the counter, trotting over to the table before leaping up onto an empty chair. He's just tall enough to see over the table and glares at Stiles.

"Have you fed him today, kid?" His father asks, looking at him.

"Yeah," He says, remembering this morning, when Derek sat in his lap and took over eating his Lucky Charms. He even washed his face in the bathroom after, "but he's not having any pizza."

"Open him a can of cat food."

Stiles had actually returned all of it after his father had bought it, brought it home and left a bowl out for Derek. Let's just say while Derek appreciated the sentiment, it tasted like shit, so back to the store it went.

"Right... Uh, I don't think he really likes it. He's an odd, stubborn thing, isn't he?" He shoots a look Derek's way and the cat gets up onto the table, setting his front paw on Stiles' hand. He leans up and nuzzles Stiles' jaw while his claws break the skin. Stiles grits his teeth and pats Derek on the head maybe a little too hard to be friendly and it lets up. Derek goes to move from the table, but not before grabbing the pizza crust with his teeth and tugging the slice with him. "Hey!"

The Sheriff chuckles, "Looks like he wanted it."

Derek pulls the slice all the way off the table, puts it back down into the chair, and somehow folds the fucking thing so nothing falls off it as he moseys on up the stairs. Stiles mutters that he's an asshole under his breath as he goes to get another piece from the box.

\--

"And I thought you could handle eating without being a four year old." Stiles says as he holds Derek on the counter of the sink, carefully scrubbing the cat's face free of pizza sauce.

Derek makes an annoyed grumbling sound and Stiles rolls his eyes, puts his whole body in the warm water of the sink, backing away to let Derek hiss and scramble out of it, soaking wet and more unhappy than he already was. Stiles laughs at him, looking just so hilarious all skinny with his frown and ears dipped down.

Derek just stares at him, lowering his head a little, and soon Stiles starts to feel like sort of a dick. He sighs and grabs a towel, wraps it around Derek and brings him back into his room. He sits them down on the bed and rubs the towel over him, trying to dry him off.

The cat lays against him, letting Stiles relax as well, before he's leaping up and attaching himself to Stiles' face.

\--

Stiles (Mobile):  
Derek attacked me last night. Nothing too bad, but yeah.

Scott (Mobile):  
Everything okay now?

Stiles (Mobile):  
More than okay.

A picture comes up on Scott's phone, a very grumpy looking Derek in a purple-blue dress. Scott can barely type through the major giggle fit that's overtaking him, thinking about how pissed Derek must be right now.

Stiles (Mobile):  
Hey, show some respect. He's the Alpha, you knwoanjsrgetrgn

Scott's brows knit together, typing out a quick 'Stiles?' that gets no response.

"So, what happened?" Scott asks the next day as he leans against Stiles' locker, looking over his best friend's face. Stiles has a gash along his cheekbone, another on his lip.

"Derek attacked me!" Stiles says, blasphemous, frowning almost as much as Derek.

Scott tries not to laugh. Tries, being the key word. In Stiles' opinion, he doesn't try too hard.

\--

Derek apologizes, though. Stiles is laying in bed, reading from another book on witches, getting closer to having Derek back to normal. Derek hops up on the bed and walks up to Stiles, all the way up to Stiles' head and lays over and side of his pillow, wrapping himself around his head.

"Derek?" Stiles sets the book flat on his stomach and tries to look at him. Derek's tail swishes against his cheek, moving over to nose and by his eye, "Um."

Derek makes a little noise like when he stretches, tapping Stiles forehead with his paw. There's no claws and Stiles closes his eyes, "Is this your way of saying you're sorry?"

Derek swats him with his tail.

"Aw, that's nice," Stiles reaches up and gently pulls him down, against his side. Derek looks up at him, laying on his back. Stiles rubs gently at his fur, all warm and soft. Derek's still frowning and Stiles shrugs, "Cheer up, Derek. You're the Alpha."

Derek gives a low groan, letting his eyes drift shut. Stiles takes it as a 'Yeah, I know. Now, shut up'.


	2. Hello, Former Furball

“Scott! I found it!” Stiles yells over his shoulder as he looks around the cabin. It’s even more disheveled than Derek’s own house, all the way out in the deep woods. It’s the witch’s cabin, the one who turned Derek furry, and as he looks around, everything they need is right here.

“Derek, we got it. You’re gonna be fine.” He pets him out of habit, setting him down on the floor of the cabin, starting to rummage through the different powders and liquids and whatever’s floating in that murky shit in the mason jar over there for what he needs specifically. Derek’s standing guard at the door, which actually looks kind of really adorable, and looks up at Scott when he runs in.

“You got everything?” Scott asks, tossing Stiles his Jeep’s keys. He steps over Derek to get near Stiles and Stiles slaps him on the chest.

“Dude, don’t walk over him like that,” He says, setting up all jars in a neat row, taking the list that him and Deaton pieced together to double check, “Yeah. Yeah, okay. Move, I gotta do this.”

Scott steps back outside - not stepping over Derek this time but rather around him - and watches at the door. The Betas are outside, looking anxious. Stiles gives a grin to Derek, taking the right jar and kneeling down, making a specific pattern around him on the floor. He tugs another crumpled paper from his pocket and gives it to Scott, “I need you to read that. Loud and clear when I say so. Don’t fuck it up.”

Scott nods and Derek looks a little worried. Stiles pats his head and mutters that he doesn’t have to worry. He grabs each of the jars, spreading around the powders. When Stiles touches the last jar, the powder inside starts to glow a deep blue.

Stiles says Scott’s name to get him to read, and he does, pronouncing everything loudly and carefully. Stiles takes the top off the jar and it seems to react to either Scott or Derek, because it turns a bloody red color, and it makes Stiles’ hand shake. He pours it closer around Derek than the other powders, and Derek’s eyes match it in color.

Stiles gestures for Scott to keep going and he stands, grabbing the round bottle that has the liquid inside flaring up in a mix of bubbling red and black. Scott nears the end of the page and Stiles motions for him to be louder, raise his voice more with each word. Scott’s eyes start to glow and Derek’s claws dig into the wood beneath him.

As Scott yells out the last sentence, Stiles smashes the bottle onto the floor, shattering the thin glass as the contents spill all over the floor. A cloud of smoke puffs up, engulfing the room. It whirls around Derek, dark and gray until color threads into it; a bright golden, then an electric blue, blowing up finally with a grand flash of crimson.

Stiles is coughing along with Scott, waving their arms to try and clear out the smoke so they can see. Stiles gets down on his knees again and squints, trying to make out anything. He hears a weak cough, smoke clearing just enough for him to see Derek, back to human form, laying very naked on the cabin floor.

“Get a blanket!” He yells and moves around, taking Derek by the shoulders and hauling him up to lean against him. He chuckles softly, “Welcome back, former fur ball.”

Derek sighs and relaxes back against him, eyes shut and chest heaving. Scott comes back in and drapes the blanket over Derek, then helps him up. Stiles makes sure the blanket doesn’t slip and they lead him back to the Jeep. Derek’s Betas walk backwards the whole way there, looking Derek over, making sure he’s okay.

“You can talk again, right?” Stiles asks as he situates Derek in the passenger seat.

“Yeah. That was rough,” Derek nods, looking wiped out. “You couldn’t have done that with a little more grace?”

“You’re welcome, you asshole.” He smiles and shuts the door.

Everyone packs themselves into the Jeep - it was easier because Derek sat in Stiles’ lap the whole way there - but they manage to fit. Derek starts to look a little less pale, and yeah, they could have turned Derek back with more finesse, but that’s not Stiles’ personality. And it’s only his second time with magic, anyway. Derek can cut him some slack, he’s back to being taller than everyone, isn’t he?

—

They stop at Derek’s so he can stop being naked and filthy, and Stiles watches Erica, Isaac, and Boyd inspect him again. They say he smells just right again, if a little like Stiles. He thinks he sees Derek’s cheeks color, but he attributes that to just coming back to himself.

He leaves without getting so much as a thank you, and brings Scott home, then goes home himself. He has cat stuff to throw out. Not a lot of stuff… He just bought a brush. Not anything significant, like a collar.

Okay, he bought a collar.

For Derek.

He didn’t know how long they’d be in the situation and his Dad had mentioned it… And maybe he got a little attached, too. Him and his frowny face. It was fun, minus the bloodshed, while it lasted.

He parks in the driveway and hops out, makes sure everything’s locked before he goes inside. Sheriff Stilinski’s sitting at the table - he doesn’t really know what to say to him, he’s sort of hoping his Dad won’t notice the little fluff ball is gone - and looks up at him as the door shuts.

“Hey, kid. Have fun at Scott’s?”

“Yeah, loads of it. I’m all tired out.” He toes off his shoes and starts to make his way to the stairs.

“You don’t want anything to eat? There’s leftover pizza.”

“No, I’m good. Get some sleep soon, Dad.”

He pads up to his room, sheds his jacket and hoodie - it was colder tonight, he needed an extra layer to make sure him and Derek were warm - before flopping into bed. And of course even after all he’s been through tonight, he can’t fall asleep. He groans and turns back over, stares at the ceiling while he feet kick at his blankets, try to get them where he wants them. He should have shut off his light. But the switch is just really far away now.

He pulls his phone from his pocket, checks his blog and then plays a few rounds of Fruit Ninja. He’s a little giddy when he gets a new high score over when Scott last played. He starts to get a headache halfway through his next round and stops, tosses his phone up behind him where it settles in one of the cupboards of his headboard.

He covers his face with his hands and then presses his thumbs against his temples, breathing out slowly.

“You alright?” A voice asks and Stiles starts, moving his hands away to see Derek standing there, simply clothed and looking freshly showered.

“Uh,” Is Stiles’ intelligent response. He takes a few moments and nods, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Liar.” Derek takes off his shoes and goes over, flicking the light switch off. It helps a little. But why is Derek doing it?

“Okay, then. Why are you here?” He sits up, scooting over when Derek sits down on the edge.

“Because I can be.” Derek situates himself so he’s laying down and pushes Stiles to be doing the same. Stiles suddenly feels like he’s home again when Derek fits himself to his side, making room for himself.

“…Are you staying tonight?” He curves his arm around him, much like he would when he was a cat, placing a hand on his back.

“Are you gonna throw me out?”

He rubs his back out of habit, “No.”

“Good.”

Stiles takes a few moments, adjusting himself to be most comfortable. He lets it sink in. _Good_ … Did Derek get attached, too? He’s laying in exactly the same place, arm tucked to him right by Stiles’ hip and he’s got his head turned in so he can feel the warmth of Stiles’ body.

Derek got used to him.

“Good.” He nods to himself, turning a little more onto his side, favoring where Derek is. He smiles a little, moving his hand up to scratch behind his ear. Derek grunts at him.

“Nope.”

“Okay.”


End file.
